“Love knows nothing but moment to moment. Be honest and true in each one, and expect nothing more.”

It’s Washington, D.C., during the Prohibition and young Monica Bisbaine likes to live fast and loose while writing her “Monkey Business” column for the Capitol Chatter. She enjoys reporting on the local speakeasies, offering readers clues to the illegal establishments as well as her latest fashion choices.

But all that changes when her editor passes away and his nephew, Maximilian Moore, takes over the publication. Max has a heart for God and a heart for publishing all that is pure and of good report, so decides to make some major changes to the tabloid, including “Monkey Business.”

Allison Pittman’s “All for a Story” is a fun read full of great characters. Monica must decide if she wants to continue living her fast-passed, flirty life, or seek a life filled with more substantial meaning — including love from both man and God.

Max, who left his editor position with real-life evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson (whom we met in Pittman’s first installment in this series), to take over the Chatter, must decide if Monica — and love itself — is worth fighting for.

Readers will love Monica, full of moxie and charisma; Max, with his patience and perseverance; sweet, yet wise, Zelda Ovenoff, the cleaning woman at the paper with so much more potential; and Paolo, the six-toed cat. This book also introduces the reader to another real-life character — Miss Alice Reighly, the leader of the Anti-Flirt Society.

“All for a Story” offers great lessons on patience and kindness, finding true love, and allowing God’s love to replace what we have lost in our own lives.

“Whatever happens, we’ll be okay because God will be there. No matter what goes away, God won’t. … God will be there with me – if I’m in my bed, in a fiery furnace, or in an empty backyard.”

“Night Mare” opens with Ellie winding down her fourth-grade year with a blog project. She and her friend Cassie create a blog on horse recipes. Fans of this author will enjoy some cross-referencing with her other character, Winnie the Horse Gentler, who offers Ellie and Cassie some horse-friendly recipes to add to their blog.

Just to get a laugh, resident mean girl Larissa, who is partnering with Ellie’s best friend Colt, posts a photo of Ellie’s horse, Dream, when she was just a scrawny, lost Pinto. Unfortunately, someone sees that photo and claims Dream is their horse, which is Ellie’s worst nightmare!

Ellie is forced to give up her horse to Grayson, who claims Dream … or Jinx as he calls her … escaped from their farm.

Throughout the book, Ellie must learn to turn to God, and to remember He is with her in all situations. There is even an interesting tie in to the Old Testament story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego … and three polluted fish!

“God answers prayers because God is God. And Jesus already took care of my mess-ups.”

The story of Ellie James and her black-and-white pinto, Dreams, continues in “Chasing Dream.”

Ellie is once again daydreaming in school. This team she and Dream are in a Pony Express race. She’s pulled out of her daydream, though, when Dream is found in the school library!

Her daydream leads Ellie to wish Dream was the fastest horse around, so she plans a horse race for her fellow fourth-graders. But in the meantime, she must solve the mystery of how Dream keeps escaping from her pen. Ellie can’t figure out how Dream is getting out, and her friend Colt can’t figure out what is eating his horse’s grain, which keeps disappearing.

After the race, Dream begins to act strangely, and so they have to call in the vet.

Throughout the book, Ellie learns lessons about selfishness, putting other’s needs first, the support of family and friends, and trusting in God.

This is a great series for kids of all ages, both young and the young at heart.

Ellie James is a spunky fourth-grader who has a major problem: she REALLY wants a horse. She eats, breathes and dreams horses – so much so that her science project is going to test how to get a horse, by either begging, crying or praying.

One day in school, as Ellie yet again daydreams about her award-winning black stallion she really, really, really wants, she sees a scraggly pinto run by the school. Of course, no one believes the daydreaming Ellie, until her mom comes home from her volunteer stint at the local cat clinic and announces she lost a horse that day!

“Horse Dreams” is a sweet tale that tells the story of a girl who not only loves God, but learns to love this scrawny, scraggly horse. The book also introduces the reader to sign language, as Ellie’s little brother is deaf and the family, as well as her friend Colt, often communicate through their hands.

“ ‘But faith is the confident hope in things unseen,’ she insisted, a bit teary-eyed. ‘Otherwise it wouldn’t be a matter of faith.’ ”

Sigmund Brouwer’s “Death Trap” is a fun young adult novel that takes on some serious topics like God’s role in creation and the universe; genetic engineering; and the human role in virtual-reality extensions.

Fourteen-year-old Tyce Sanders is the only human who has never been on Earth — he was born on Mars. It’s 2039 and Earth is becoming greatly overpopulated and resources are dwindling. So nations have come together to form the Mars Project, a colonization attempt on the Red Planet.

Unable to walk since a baby and therefore confined to a wheelchair, Tyce becomes an integral part in virtual reality programming with robots. Throughout the book, he must also decide on whether he can believe in God, and if so, how God relates to science. Tyce only can believe in what he can either see or measure.

His mom reminds him, though, “No scientific instrument will measure or prove the existence of God or the soul. But no scientific instrument can prove the existence of love or loneliness, either. Love exists. So does loneliness. You can feel it.”

“Death Trap” is made up of two separate “journals,” offering several exciting and crazy and near-fatal adventures. Brouwer keeps his reader on the edge of their seat as each section of the book progresses. Tyce is a great kid with lots of moxie, and new arrival to the dome Ashley is sure to be lots of fun as only the second teenager on Mars.

Brouwer ends the book with a Question & Answer section related to the role of God in science.

“Death Trap” is an entertaining, yet also educational, read.

Five stars out of five.Death Trap (Robot Wars, Book #1) by Sigmund Brouwer

“One of these days I would have to quit wishing away the ‘if only’s’ and stand up to them.”

Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry join forces for the first installment of their Red Rock Mysteries series in “Haunted Waters” — a story featuring 13-year-old twins Bryce and Ashley.

The book consists of a bunch of very short chapters, mostly told from the perspective of either Bryce or Ashley. With such short chapters, the book is a very quick and exciting read. It features two main plot points — standing up to school bully Boo Heckler and an exhilarating caper featuring a stolen gold nugget.

“Haunted Waters” offers lessons on choosing between right and wrong; dealing with fear and bullies; and leaning on God for His protection.

Jenkins and Fabry do a great job of blending their writing and creating an exciting opening to what is sure to be a fantastic series. You’ll fall in love with these characters. Little brother Dylan is adorable and stepdad Sam is a great guy.

“Most of what we do, we can’t pay back,” said Popeye. “That’s why we need Jesus,” Kat whispers.

Dakota Brown is an almost-16-year-old foster kid who has managed to run away from seven foster homes and is already planning on how to run away from her eighth. What she doesn’t count on, though, is how much she actually enjoys being with the Coolidge family.

Chester Coolidge and his wife Ann, an oncologist, have turned their home into a bit of a rescue — for both animals and kids. Dakota is their third foster child, joining their son Hank and foster kids Wes and Kat. They also care for animals in need of homes and rehabilitation, including horses — which Dakota loves.

“Runaway” by Dandi Daley Mackall is a sweet story about learning to trust and learning to both give and receive love. Dakota must learn these lessons with the help of the Coolidges and an extremely abused horse, Blackfire. And, most importantly, she must learn to trust Jesus.

While rewind this book, you’ll laugh; you’ll cry. The characters are so sweet and yet facing real problems. Even though this book is meant for children ages 8-12, “kids” of all ages will enjoy reading it. A great start to a series that is sure to be fun and meaningful.

“Another verse I love is Psalm 32:7. ‘For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.’ I love the idea of being surrounded by songs.”

Brandon Jeffrey feels stuck in his small town of Appleton. He’s working two summer jobs to pay for his destroyed car — a car he didn’t even crash, but unfortunately he stills owes his parents money for it. He feels stuck, that is, until the day Marvella “Marvel” Garcia walks into the record store where he works and into his life.

In “Marvelous,” Travis Thrasher’s first installment in his “Books of Marvella” series, Brandon quickly falls for the cute and quirky Marvel — so much so that he’s willing to work for free at Fascination Street Records just so boss Harry will also give her a job.

The summer proceeds with lots of secrets (his own, as well as Marvel’s) as well as dark and strange occurrences (again in his own life, in Marvel’s and in the town itself). This book leaves you hanging at the end, making it hard to wait for book two.

Thrasher’s books are always filled with twists and turns and chilling moments, but end with redemption and hope — and “Marvelous” doesn’t disappoint. He always bring a subtle message of God into the story, without being overbearing.

Even though it is written for a teen/young adult audience, adults of all ages will enjoy it. The characters are fun and interesting, the plot moves quickly, and there are always unusual moments and events that keep you guessing.

Susan May Warren is such a great storyteller. She creates characters you can’t help but fall in love with — you laugh with them, cry with them, celebrate with them. And she does it yet again in “When I Fall in Love” — the third installment in the Christiansen Family series.

I always anxiously await any new book that features the Christiansens or the lovely little town of Deep Haven, Minnesota. Warren’s books never disappoint, offering up great story lines and even better spiritual lessons.

In “When I Fall in Love,” we find sister Grace having dreams of pursuing a culinary career, but too full of fears to really stop out on her own. She is perfectly content to find her happiness in Deep Haven. Frankly, as she puts it, she doesn’t chase after what she wants. Eventually she learns she needs to face her own selfishness, fears and anger to live a life of total fulfillment.

Maxwell Sharpe is a hockey player for the St. Paul Blue Ox. Every summer he travels to Hawaii for a three-week culinary school — the same program Grace’s family decides to send her to. Her future brother-in-law and former Blue Ox player, Jace, asks his former teammate to keep an eye on the homebody.

After initial hesitation on both of their parts, once in Hawaii Grace and Max quickly develop a deep friendship. Could it lead to more? And in the meantime, back at home, her friend Raina starts developing a relationship with Grace’s brother Casper.

The problem is both Max and Raina have devastating, life-altering secrets that are keeping both of them from pursuing true love.

Susan May Warren takes us on an exhilarating journey hitting pretty much every emotion out there. But she also fills “When I Fall in Love” with so many awesome nuggets of truth. We must all stop living in the past, as Jace points out to Max, or the past is going to eat you alive. This story encourages us to reach out and discover what we’ve been longing for — to not be afraid to go after it. No matter what that means. As Grace hears at a beach service: “The key to finding what God has for you is not reaching out for paradise … but letting go. Falling. Losing control.”

This book also shows us that, at times, suffering is a very real part of life — but it forces us into God’s arms; we cannot allow suffering to steal the richness of living.

“When I Fall in Love” is another fantastic offering from Susan May Warren. She just keeps hitting them out of the ball park!

“The amazing, whole, overwhelming, abundant life is found, oddly, by letting go. By living a dangerous faith — the kind of faith that believes in a God who knows our hearts and loves us enough to take our breath away.”“This is the transformation Jesus intends for us, a wholeness, a closeness in our relationship with God that is beyond our wildest hopes.”

﻿“When I Fall in Love” (a Christiansen Family novel) by Susan May Warren﻿